Pubdate: Thu, 07 Dec 2006
Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Copyright: 2006 Sun-Sentinel Company
Contact:  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159
Author: Chrystian Tejedor, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

DEPUTY IN PALM BEACH COUNTY GANG UNIT IS ARRESTED ON EVIDENCE, DRUG- 
RELATED CHARGES

A Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy previously accused of leaking 
information relating to the Port St. Lucie turnpike murder of a 
family of four was arrested Wednesday on unrelated charges, authorities said.

Joseph Archambault, 34, surrendered to his attorney on charges of 
tampering with evidence and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was 
released from the Palm Beach County Jail after paying $3,000 bail, 
sheriff's spokesman Paul Miller said.

While searching Archambault's unmarked squad car on two separate 
dates, supervisors found a red Tic-Tac container -- evidence in a 
Sheriff's Office case -- and a sipping straw cut down to three 
inches, court documents show.

Both items had a residue that later tested positive for cocaine.

The straw was found inside Archambault's blue briefcase Dec. 1, court 
documents show.

Detectives found the Tic-Tac container in his car Nov. 22. 
Archambault, a detective in the gang unit, first told his superiors 
that the breath mint container was given to him that same day while 
helping deputies on a home invasion call. He planned to log it into 
evidence, he said.

But investigators found the container in a folded brown paper bag 
that had been sealed in September and signed by Archambault. 
Archambault then told investigators that he tossed the Tic-Tac 
dispenser from Nov. 22 into a storm drain and that he forgot to log 
the dispenser from September.

An investigation showed Archambault found the Tic-Tac dispenser 
during a traffic stop. Deputies who helped him in that stop said the 
container had a "significant amount" of what looked like crack 
cocaine. Neither the dispenser nor the drugs was logged into 
evidence, court documents show.

Archambault previously surrendered to the Sheriff's Office on Nov. 30 
on charges of giving information to a woman interviewed by detectives 
in the slaying of the Escobedo family along Florida's Turnpike Oct. 13.

Authorities have arrested four people on federal drug charges and 
called them "persons of interest" in the murders of Jose Luis 
Escobedo, 28, his wife Yessica, 25, and their two sons, Luis Damien, 
4, and Luis Julian, 3.

While the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office has yet to make an arrest 
in the killings, authorities said Archambault did not taint the 
investigation because he talked to the woman after the persons of 
interest were jailed.

His superiors said Archambault gave information to the woman because 
he wanted a romance.

Archambault remains on unpaid leave while internal affairs officials 
conduct an investigation into his actions. Sheriff Ric Bradshaw will 
determine his fate at the agency. 
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